Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

This Pecan Pie Bread Pudding has been one of the most popular recipes on Something Swanky since it was published in 2012. Pecan Pie filling poured over thick pieces of bread and baked to perfection!

Now THIS is bread pudding!! Have you tried my recipe for pecan pie bread pudding yet? If not, what are you waiting for? This has been one of the top 5 most popular recipes on my blog of all time since it was first published back in 2012. And for good reason.

Made with hearty chunks of crusty bread and quite literally the makings of a pecan pie, this bread pudding is going to make everyone who tries it happy. And obsessed.

You know how some food speaks to both your belly and your soul? That’s this. Somehow, it just makes you feel happy and content (fellow emotional eaters rejoice!). Kind of the way you feel right after Thanksgiving dinner as your head hits the cushion on the couch and your eyes dozily close….

For those of you who actually know what that feels like anyway.

Obviously, as a mother of little kids, I no longer remember what that feels like beyond the faintest, foggy whisper of a memory that fans the tiny flame of hope inside me that I will one day experience a post-Thanksgiving-meal couch nap again. Maybe. One day.

#yeahright

Ok, so here’s the nitty gritty on this recipe:

You want to start with the right kind of bread. Whatever kind you use, it needs to be at least a day old and a little stale. I wouldn’t suggest using a light and fluffy sandwich bread for this. You’re really going to want some hearty. Go for a loaf of french or sourdough bread. Challah would be great too. Or any kind of thick bakery bread. This homemade french bread would be fabulous!

Next, you’re going to be making the pecan pie filling. Like, as if you were actually making a pecan pie filling. No shortcuts here! We are making a 100%, FOR REAL pecan pie to dump all over our crusty, hearty, delicious bread.

The reason you want to use bread that’s gone a little stale is because the dryness of the bread will allow it to absorb the pecan pie filling so much better, which will in turn create a more thoroughly gooey bread pudding.

I love eating it fresh and warm out of the oven with a little whipped cream. But it can certainly be eaten at room temp the day of or even the next day and still be delicious.

I hope you all continue to enjoy this recipe as much as you have for the past 4 years. I know my family certainly will! ☺️

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Yield:8 servings

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:45 minutes

Total Time:1 hour

This Pecan Pie Bread Pudding has been one of the most popular recipes on Something Swanky since it was published in 2012. Pecan Pie filling poured over thick pieces of bread and baked to perfection!

Ashton Swank

Ashton is the owner and author of Something Swanky. Although first and foremost a wife and mother, she considers herself an online entrepreneur, freelance writer and photographer, and brand ambassador. Her focus is in food styling, food photography and recipe development.

First off all, that was such a sweet letter of gratitude to your hubby! You guys sound precious together! Second, oh my gosh—You had me at Pecan Pie Bread Pudding! I will be making this in the Christmas season, because it sounds unreal!!
Christmas Blessings,
Leslie

Hi Ashton! This looks amazing! I have never actually tried bread pudding before so I will have to give this a try. Following along with you now from our Facebook group – looking forward to getting to know you better! Love your blog!
Jenn

Saw this on Pinterest, of course re-pinned and the recipe is easy. TY for the extra tips, the cinnabon version sounds so over the top, but am verrrrry tempted to try this after I do the “regular” version.

I wonder if you cut unbaked Grands cinnamon rolls into 8ths and used that in stead of bread how it would come out…..oooh, and/or maybe a struesel topping? I love bread pudding and I am gonna try your recipe, thank you and Merry Christmas!

I made this using French bread and let the bread stale before using in the recipe. If I had to do it over again I would probably crush the bread in smaller pieces or not allow the bread to go stale because it does not soak up the syrup as well. It does taste just like french toast. Ummm Yummy.

Omg! That pecan pie bread pudding is to die for! Just made it this morning. Very very very good recipe. Right now am making the homemade pancake! Will let u know how this turns out. Love ur site. I will be checking ur site all the time now. Great job!

Hi Ashton, I saw this on Pinterest awhile back and am finally getting around to making it this week. Can hardly wait and I have little nephews that will want to gobble this up!
Beautiful blog you have here, I’ll be back to visit often.

Hi Ashton. This recipe looks amazing! My two favorite desserts combined into one. I can’t wait to try it. I’ve decided to make it for a large group of 12 during a group weekend trip and I plan of doubling the recipe. My question is the type of white bread? Sandwich bread? French bread? I bake well but only because I really like to replicate it exactly. Please let me know what bread you would suggest?
Thank You in advance,
Shelby Vogel

You can really use any bread– volume is all that matters. I use old and stale homemade bread frequently, but I’ve also used french bread. I definitely gravitate towards thicker bread for bread pudding!

If you have a convection oven you may want to start checking on this around 30 min. I left mine in and forgot, once again, that convection ovens cook everything faster and it was REALLY dry. I was multi tasking for dinner and didn’t even think to take a peek at it. I may have used too much bread too, I made a loaf just to make this and I used the whole thing since it was all squished up from tearing it apart (I didn’t measure, I just tore it up and it fit in the pan so I figured I was good). So I would make extra filling too. I didn’t think it tasted like french toast, or pecan pie, but it was good enough to try again with a couple of tweaks.

i tried this recipe using sourdough bread. First, I think 8 cups of bread was too much for the amount of syrup. Even though I measured the bread and thoroughly mixed it with the syrup, some of the bread wasn’t soaked in the syrup and was hard. Next time, I’ll use French Bread, and I won’t use as much. Second, I’m going to partially toast the pecans first because they weren’t that toasty goodness I like. Third, I want to adjust the sweetness a little, because I made a basic cream cheese frosting, and it took the flavor to another level, but it really increased the sweetness beyond what I enjoy. My husband loved it (he has a huge sweet tooth!), and the recipe is definitely a keeper, but also a work in progress.

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you. A few weeks ago, my chronic illness finally confined me mostly to bed. I’be been struggling to not give in to depression and I’ve really been feeling like giving up. Tonight I saw your gratitude letter to your husband. It reminded me of all the little things and the big things I still have to be grateful for. And at least for tonight, it’s given me a renewed spirit to not give up and to keep fighting. Thank you. Thank you so very much.

Angela, thank you very much for your comment! It meant so much to me. I wish there was something I could say to make everything all better for you, but, of course, there isn’t. Keep looking for all of those things in life that can still make you happy and grateful… and eat dessert if you can. I usually find that helps :)